• Home
    • Subscriptions to Inside Chappaqua and/or Inside Armonk Magazines
    • Issue Archives
    • Site Map
  • Cover Stories
    • Chappaqua Cover Stories
    • Armonk Cover Stories
  • Happenings
    • Westchester
  • Inside My New Castle
  • Just Between Us
    • Chappaqua Just Between Us
    • Armonk Just Between Us
    • From the Editor
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health & Fitness
  • Single & Smart
  • Et Cetera
    • Worth a Thousand Words

Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk: The Magazines for New and North Castle

  • New Castle News
    • New Castle Releases
  • North Castle News
    • North Castle Releases
  • Gotta Have Arts
    • Book Excerpts
  • Lifestyles with our Sponsors
    • Sponsor News!
    • Words & Wisdoms From Our Sponsors
  • Advertise
    • Answers to Your Questions, or Contact Us!
    • Subscriptions to Inside Chappaqua and/or Inside Armonk Magazines

“I Had a Little Suspicion”

June 20, 2018 by Inside Press

Pre war, my uncle Wolf, with my grandmother and grandfather, before the Nazis separated he and my dad first from their parents. In time, Mengele separated him from my father too.

By Grace Bennett

As  I read of children and babies held hostage in cages–as little more than bargaining chips–my dad’s singularly monstrous experiences of separation and loss during the Holocaust have come back to haunt me.

 Whether you agree that the Holocaust comparisons to the current day madness are fair or not (I admit that I find the comparisons troublesome sometimes), I think when you read this, you might at least agree there are powerful lessons to be learned and that our despair over the abuse and indignities being inflicted on migrant families and especially to the children at our border is entirely warranted.
 
When any category of people are treated so callously, and our President lies so brazenly about ‘who created the situation,’  as the situation persists, yes, you damn well better question authority to the max, and do not stop.
 
To protect helpless children, I do beg you: please lose any moral qualms about assuming the worst.
 
We know full well that the worst is possible. It is all our jobs now to guard against the worst. The worst, the Holocaust taught us, also comes incrementally.
 
But I digress because my dad’s story as a victim of rock bottom evil speaks for itself…
 
After being separated from the rest of his family (all of whom–except for my dad and grandfather–were killed at Auschwitz), my father and Wolf (who was two years younger) had managed to stay alive during the Holocaust after being dragged away for ‘work details,’ i.e.,  slave labor. Together, they suffered and together they survived a series of smaller ‘labor’, i.e., concentration, camps. 
 
Through it all, what meant absolutely the most, what time and again would trigger their survival instinct and help the other through, was that they had each other. They looked out for each other, my dad told me. Being together meant everything.
 
But then they were sent to Auschwitz, too.
 
An excerpt (lightly edited) from my Poppy’s memoir.
 
“The Germans decided to send us to the concentration camp Auschwitz. Arriving there we were greeted by the S.S with the infamous Dr. Mengele. They lined us up and the Dr. was telling us that all injured or too young to do hard work will go to a special location for the injured and children, and will be taken care of.
 
I had a little suspicion.
 
He (Mengele) got in front of me, and for some reason, he asked my age.  I said 16, and added that we are very good workers.
 
My brother (Wolf) said nothing; he was younger than me but taller and a fiery red head.
 
He (Mengele) told my brother to step forward and told him that he will be better off being with children.
 
Our (Jewish) camp leader was a 6’ tall guy. He showed the S.S. officer his damaged finger, so he told him to also go with the children and take care of them.
 
In the meantime my brother came running back asking for half of the bread we still had.
 
I begged him to stay with me, but he argued I should go with him.
 
One of the soldiers noticed the commotion and asked what was going on.
 
I said that I have the whole bread, so he said to break the bread in half and give that to him.
 
They went one way, and we vent to shower, change our civilian clothing into striped uniform and we all got tattoos injected into our forearms.
 
My # was 141940 with an upside triangle underneath.
 
After arriving in the quarters assigned to us, we went outside of our building, meeting people from other buildings, telling them where we came from,
 
I mentioned that I came here with my brother who was transferred to a camp for children.
 
He told me to look at the smoke in the background, and said, “That’s were your brother and all the others are, being incinerated…”
 
 In Wolf’s memory, may the gross mistreatment, abuse, and human rights violations of children at America’s border–AMERICA’S border–STOP. We are better than this.
 
Grace Bennett is Publisher and Editor of the Inside Press.  She has been on the board and advisory board of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center since 2007 and is a member of Women’s March for All. Her father (‘Poppy’) Jacob Breitstein is a 96-year old Holocaust survivor.
 
 

Filed Under: Just Between Us Tagged With: America's Border, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Border, children, holocaust, human rights

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Visit Our Sponsors

Northern Westchester Hospital
William Raveis – Chappaqua
William Raveis – Armonk
Chappaqua Crossing
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
Chappaqua Performing Arts Center
Douglas Elliman Chappaqua
Douglas Elliman Armonk
Financial Asset Management Corp.
Harvey Cavalier Camp
Compass Real Estate: Armonk
Compass Real Estate: Chappaqua
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
White Plains Hospital
Bueti Brothers
Corcoran: Robin Roy
Amy Singer – Houlihan Lawrence
Club Fit
New Castle Physical Therapy
World Cup Gymnastics
Beecher Flooks Funeral Home
Bet Torah Nursery School
Wags & Whiskers Dog Grooming
Houlihan: Alicja Bohmrich
tel:18555620715

Download our Latest Issues

Inside Chappaqua PDF Inside Armonk PDF

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe

Recent Posts

  • Three, Elaborately Costumed Magi Distribute Gifts to Children at Three Kings Day Celebration
  • Northern Westchester Hospital 2018 Annual Benefit Raises over $1.5 Million
  • Whole Foods Opens to Chappaqua’s Delight
  • ICD Holiday Fundraiser for Making Headway Foundation
  • Pete Harckham Celebrates Historic Win
  • Francesca Hagadus Win Paves Way to a Less Partisan Town Board

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime for the print editions of either Inside Chappaqua, Inside Armonk–or both?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2019 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in